Bronco All-Stars surprised

WHITTIER ? Manager Tony Swies said he hopes his Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. Bronco All-Stars see Thursday’s first-round Section Tournament loss as a wake-up call.

That might be appropriate, considering Newport Harbor spent much of the 5-1 loss to Los Alamitos White at York Field sleepwalking on offense.

Newport Harbor will now have to string together at least four wins in a row to advance from the double-elimination tournament, a streak it hopes to start today at 10 a.m. against Placentia Red.

Newport Harbor, which wasn’t really challenged in sweeping through the district tournament last weekend at Garden Grove, only managed three hits against Los Alamitos until the seventh inning.

Christian Ochoa led off the last inning with a double and was knocked in on Jake Stowell’s single. But the rally fell well short.

“The way our kids came in, I know they thought they were going to win this game easily,” Tony Swies said. “Then they were in a little bit of a battle, and it was like, ‘Oh [heck].’ By then, it was too late.”

Los Alamitos jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. With two outs, Christian Colburn was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Cody Marshall’s single. After a walk and a wild pitch, Hunter Cairns’ single to right field drove in two more.

Newport Harbor starting pitcher Nick McCann battled all game, striking out seven batters. He fanned the the side in the third inning.

But Los Alamitos added another run in the fourth on a throwing error, and one more in the sixth on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice.

Los Alamitos starting pitcher Marshall, meanwhile, kept the Newport Harbor batters off-balance all game with his mix of curveballs, off-speed pitches and the occasional fastball.

“That kid was on fire,” Tony Swies said. “I think he only went to a three-ball count once or twice. He threw us breaking balls for strikes and had us set up. He threw strikes and didn’t walk anybody.”

Newport Harbor’s best chance to score more runs came in the second inning. Tyler Kiehnle was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, and advanced to third on Conor Sweeney’s infield single. Stowell then hit a shot up the middle that appeared destined for center field, but the Los Alamitos shortstop picked it up and started an inning-ending double play.

Hamilton Randle had the only other Newport Harbor hit, a one-out single in the fifth. But he was stranded as Marshall got back-to-back strikeouts.

Tony Swies said this might have been the best thing that could happen to his team, but only if they come out with more tenacity as they attempt to battle through the losers’ bracket.

“I think we’re one of the best teams in this tournament, but [we can’t] come out thinking that just because we were 12-1 [in postseason play, now 12-2], we’re automatically going to win,” Swies said. “All of the teams are playing well. That’s why they’re here. I think we’re going to make a little run, I really do, but we have to come ready to play.”

In Mustang Division play in the Section Tournament Thursday: